Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Background of the Invention
This invention relates to a cleaning bar assembly
for compactor wheels of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent
No. 3,633,471 of V. Randour, issued January 11, 1972, and
assigned to the assignee of this application.
Such compactor wheels tend to pick-up and retain
material between the pads thereof, particularly when
operated over damp materials such as clay. The build-up
of such materials between the pads will reduce the operating
efficiency of the compactor wheel unless means are provided
for continuously cleaning the same. To this end, a frame
having a plurality of cleaning bars secured thereon is
normally positioned adjacent to the compactor wheel to
continuously break-up the material upon rotation of the
compactor wheel. The frame may comprise a closed box-like
structure completely surrounding the compactor wheel, such
as the type disclosed in above-referenced U.S. Patent ~o.
3,633,471.
Statement of the Invention
According to the present invention a vehicle
includes an axle housing and a compactor wheel rotatably
mounted on the axle housing for rotation about a central
longitudinal axis thereof, the wheel having a plurality
of circumferentially disposed pads secured on its periphery
to extend radially outwardly therefrom and the axle
housing having a cleaning bar assembly secured thereto
and comprising an integrally formed U-shaped frame having
an inboard support bar disposed transversely relative
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to the axis and secured to the axle housing, a pair of
legs cantilevered on the support bar to straddle the
compactor wheel on either side thereof and disposed in
parallel relationship relative to the axis, a plurality
of cleaning bars secured to each of the legs and
extending inwardly therefrom generally towards the
axis and lying between the pads and an adaptor at the
free end of each of the legs for enabling attachment
of an outboard support bar thereto.
The invention may thus provide an improved
and multi-purpose cleaning bar assembly for a compactor
wheel. The adaptors are secured on the end of each of
t~he legs for selectively attaching an outboard support
bar thereon pursuant to applications wherein it is
desirable to provide a box-like cleaning bar assembly
for the compactor wheel.
Brief Des¢ription of the Drawings
Other objects of this invention will become
apparent from the following description and accompanying
drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a compactor
wheel having a cleaning bar assembly mounted adjacent
thereto;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the compactor
wheel and cleaning bar assembly;
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FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the area of the cleaning
bar assembly subscribed by circle III-III in FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction o~
arrows IV-IV in FIG. 2.
Detailed Description
Referring to FIGS. l and 2, a compactor wheel 10 is
rotatably mounted on an axle housing 11, suitably secured to a
frame of a vehicle (not shown), for rotation about a central
longitudinal axis X thereof. The compactor wheel is adapted
to be driven by an axle 12 rotatably mounted in the housing
and operatively connected to the compactor wheel by a suitable
gear train (not shown) fully disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
3,633,471. A plurality of circumferentially disposed pads 13
are secured on the periphery of the compactor wheel to extend
radially outwardly therefrom for soil compacting purposes.
This invention relates to a cleaning bar assembly 14
secured to axle housing ll for continuously engaging and
cleaning materials which may tend to lodge between pads 13.
The cleaning bar assembly comprises an integrally formed
one-piece U-shaped frame 14 having an inboard support bar 15
disposed transversely relative to axis X. Referring to FIG.
4, the support bar is secured intermediate its ends to axle
housing 11 by a plurality of bolts 16 and 17, the latter
bolts securing a U-shaped strap 18 (not fully shown) beneath
the axle housing.
A pair of legs 19 and 20 are integrally secured in
cantilevered relationship on opposite ends of support bar 15
to straddle the compactor wheel on either side thereof. The
legs~ disposed in parallel relationship relative to axis X,
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have a plurality of cleaning bars 21 secured thereon. The
cleaning bars extend inwardly from the legs, towards axis X and
between respective ones of pads 13 for cleaning purposes.
Referring to FIG. 1, each cleaning bar is preferably
disposed at an acute angle a relative to a horizontally
disposed imaginary horizontal plane P, preferably selected from
the range of from 5 to 25. In addition to be downwardly
inclined, the cleaning bars are disposed below axis X to further
aid in dispelling materials downwardly and away from the
compactor wheel. It should be noted that the disposition of
the cleaning bars on either side of the compactor wheel will
function to clean the same regardless of the direction of
rotation thereof.
, In certain compacting operations and for certain
vehicles it may prove desirable to utilize a box-like cleaning
bar assembly in lieu of the U-shaped one described above. In
such applications, an outboard support bar 22 can be attached
to the outer ends of legs 19 and 20 expeditiously. Referring
to FIG. 3, an adapter means 23 is secured on the end of each of
the legs in parallel relationship relatlve to axis X to
facilitate such expeditious attachment of the outboard support
bar thereon and to provide a coupling therebetween which exhibits
a high degree of structural integrity.
Each adapter means comprises a vertically spaced pair
f annular support members 24 each having its inner end secured
to leg 19, for example, by an annular weld 25. The outer end
of member 24 has a frusto-conically shaped support portion 26
formed integrally thereon and adapted to sel~-center within a
like-shaped recess 27 formed in an opposed end of an L-shaped
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member 28. The latter member is integrally secured to a
respective end of support bar 22 by an annular weld 29.
Thus, upon tightening of a bolt 30, threadably
mounted in threads 31 formed internally in member 24, member
28 will be drawn tightly onto conically shaped support portion
26 of the adapter means. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bracket
32, secured on outboard support bar 22 intermediate its ends,
is suitably mounted on a trunnion 33. The trunnion may be
suitably secured to the final drive cover of compactor wheel 10
to provide further support for the outboard support bar as well
as for cleaning bar assembly 14.
